OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma (October 29, 2024) – Council members and tournament hosts were honored by USA Softball, the National Governing Body of Softball in the United States, during the 2024 Wilson Awards Luncheon – presented by Wilson Sporting Goods – at the 93rd Annual Council Meeting earlier today. Awards were given in multiple categories, including excellence in conducting 2024 USA Softball National Championships and dedicated years of service to USA Softball as well as the 2024 USA Softball Complex of the Year, Benchmark Awards and Communications Awards.
2024 JAMES FARRELL AWARD OF EXCELLENCE
Named in honor of former USA Softball of St. Louis Commissioner and National Office staff member, James Farrell, the James Farrell Award of Excellence recognizes cities that do an outstanding job of hosting USA Softball National Championship Finals.
EIGHTEEN OF THE HIGHEST RATED TOURNAMENTS:
Burlington, North Carolina
SIX OF THE HIGHEST RATED TOURNAMENTS:
Loudoun County, Virginia
FIVE OF THE HIGHEST RATED TOURNAMENTS:
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Salem, Virginia
THREE OF THE HIGHEST RATED TOURNAMENTS:
Brenham, Texas
Everett, Washington
Fargo, North Dakota
Rockford, Michigan
TWO OF THE HIGHEST RATED TOURNAMENTS:
Johnson City, Tennessee
Salem, Oregon
Prairie Island, Minnesota
Boise, Idaho
Canton, Ohio
ONE OF THE HIGHEST RATED TOURNAMENTS:
Burnsville, Minnesota
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Topeka, Kansas
Decatur, Illinois
COMPLEX OF THE YEAR
The Complex of the Year award honors an outstanding facility within USA Softball.
JAMES I. MOYER SPORTS COMPLEX
Salem, Virginia – USA Softball of Virginia
2024 BENCHMARK AWARDS
The Benchmark Awards are presented for increases in the number of registrations of adult teams, youth teams and umpires. An association needs to have an increase of at least 10 percent and/or a total registration of more than 100 teams or umpires on average over the last five years.
BENCHMARK AWARD RECIPIENTS:
USA Softball of Alabama – Tracy Morgan
USA Softball of Central Virginia – John McPhail
USA Softball of The Carolinas – Tim Doby
USA Softball of Minnesota – Dan Pfeffer
USA Softball of Texas – Rodney Cobb
USA Softball of Washington – Rick Hansen
USA Softball of Illinois – Bob Adams
USA Softball of South Dakota – Gary Young
USA Softball of Southern California – Chris Drumm
USA Softball of Pennsylvania – Jeff Sell
MOST JO TEAM REGISTRATIONS:
USA Softball of SoCal – Chris Drumm
4,675 JO Team Registrations
MOST ADULT TEAM REGISTRATIONS:
USA Softball of Pennsylvania – Jeff Sell
2,098 Adult Team Registrations
MOST UMPIRE REGISTRATIONS:
USA Softball of Pennsylvania – Jeff Sell
854 Umpire Registrations
MOST TOTAL REGISTRATIONS:
USA Softball of Southern California – Chris Drumm
5,493 Total Registrations
2024 USA SOFTBALL YEARS OF SERVICE
Members of the USA Softball National Council were also honored at the luncheon with USA Softball Years of Service Awards.
FIVE YEARS:
Bryan Smith – USA Softball of Michigan
Davey Cole – USA Softball of Mississippi
Rick Petty – USA Softball of Missouri
Joshua Burruss – USA Softball of Piedmont Virginia
Roni Wobken – USA Softball of Nebraska
George Gunn – USA Softball of Seattle
Scott Stone – USA Softball of Texas
10 YEARS:
Michael Warner – USA Softball of New York-NYC-New Jersey
James Stemetzki – USA Softball of New Jersey
Tony Gowell – USA Softball of Maine
Dakota Hill – USA Softball of Louisiana
Sheri Jenkins – USA Softball of Sacramento
Brandon Chambers – USA Softball of Indiana
Carol Bruggeman – USA Softball of Kentucky
Walter Babcock – USA Softball of Massachusetts
Randy Shepard – USA Softball of Ohio
Ernie Yarbrough – USA Softball of Georgia
15 YEARS:
David Maudsley – USA Softball of Sacramento
Rob Combs – USA Softball of Oregon
Thomas Rausch – USA Softball of Wisconsin
20 YEARS:
Robert Plocheck – USA Softball of Houston
Kristy Rich – USA Softball of Missouri
Steve Fornadel – USA Softball of Florida
Jack Hutcherson – USA Softball of Maryland-DC-Delaware
25 YEARS:
Perk Carter – USA Softball of Oregon
Mary Mahoney – USA Softball of Kansas City
Mike De Leo – USA Softball of Michigan
30 YEARS:
Phil McElroy – USA Softball of Massachusetts
Roger Short – USA Softball of Mississippi
R. B Thomas JR. – USA Softball of Central Virginia
Joe Patterson – USA Softball of Nebraska
35 YEARS:
Stu Alderman – USA Softball of Detroit
Garland Thompson – USA Softball of Kentucky
Brenda Grubbs –USA Softball of Dallas/Fort Worth
Tom Raimer – USA Softball of Wisconsin
Jerry Hanson – USA Softball of Michigan
40 YEARS:
Chuck Hawke – USA Softball of Kansas/Kansas City
Warren Jones – USA Softball of Ohio
Tom O‘Neill – USA Softball of Chicago
45 YEARS:
Al Rivard – USA Softball of Minneapolis
50 YEARS:
Eddie Andrews – USA Softball of Florida
55 YEARS:
Ed Austin – USA Softball of Connecticut
USA Softball congratulates all council members, administrators and tournament hosts and looks forward to continuing the celebration of success in the 2024 season and beyond.